It's a Devilish Life
by TamieH
Summary: Lucifer and Chloe have hit a rough patch. Azrael decides to help. Getting into the holiday spirit a bit early!


Lucifer toys nervously with the small Monopoly game-piece hidden in the pocket of his slacks as he stands in the living room of Chloe's home. He keeps it with him constantly as a reminder of happier days. It's his anchor of hope during uncertainty.

But lately uncertainty is winning. It seems no matter how hard he tries to create a relationship with Chloe, something always gets in the way. He wraps his fingers tightly around the small comfort as he waits for judgment.

Trixie appears out of her mother's bedroom and closes the door behind her, looking uncomfortable.

Lucifer studies her as if trying to comprehend a great secret, before asking, "What did she say, urchin?"

"Um, she's pretty mad, but if you wait a minute she said she would come out." Trixie looks up into Lucifer's eyes, "I wish you and Mom would be friends again."

"I wish that too. Very much, but your mother and I … well its complicated."

Trixie scrunches her face into an unhappy frown. "You made her cry again. Worse than Captain Pierce." Her lower lip trembles and she squeezes her eyes tight, trying to be strong. The tears come anyway as she runs out the front door, slamming it behind her.

Chloe opens her bedroom door looking for the source of the commotion. She sees Lucifer and shrugs. "I thought maybe you left."

"No, just the child. She was upset."

"She's upset because I am, Lucifer." Chloe frowns up at him, her red, puffy eyes a stark contrast to her perfect skin. "I've accepted the truth about you and I thought we were getting back to normal. But I won't be put in the middle of whatever you have going on with Eve."

He rubs one hand through his hair, "But Chloe…"

"I don't want to hear it. Eve told me that you two got together and had a grand old time in your hot tub last night. And that's fine. I mean, whatever. But Lucifer, I'm done. You hurt me over and over, and then I hurt you. We're never on the same page. It's not healthy and I can't do it anymore. Please leave me alone and don't bother coming back to the station."

She turns away from him, wiping at her eyes. Without looking back, she walks into her bedroom and very softly closes the door behind her. The click of the lock in the silent home is somehow very final.

Lucifer stares at the closed door in agony, "It's not true." His soft statement falls into the emptiness of the room.

Back at his penthouse the fight with Eve is short but brutally clear. He cuts her out of his life with the precision of a surgeon removing cancer cells. She lied and ruined what he hoped to have with Chloe. Eve deserves nothing from him.

He sends her away and she finally understands that she can't scheme her way into Lucifer's life. Hurting Chloe was definitely the wrong move. She's amazed that the devil has actually learned to care. It doesn't bother her to move on, as Lucifer is just an amusement. However, her slate must be kept in balance. Guilt must be avoided.

Eve shows up at Chloe's house, asking the Uber driver to wait for a moment. She stands on the doorstep until Chloe opens the door. "I'm leaving, but before I go, I want to tell you that I lied. Lucifer never slept with me. I've tempted and tempted him, but he wouldn't give in. He couldn't get over you."

"Right. And I should believe you because you've been so trustworthy."

"Believe whatever you want. I just know what happens if I carry guilt around with me. I'm not going back to hell for lying to you and destroying what you have with Lucifer."

Chloe watches as Eve gets back into her Uber ride and drives away. She closes her front door and aims a bright smile at Trixie. "Ready for me to read to you?" As they settle onto Trixie's bed, Chloe wonders how she will apologize to Lucifer.

Meanwhile, Lucifer sits at his piano, guzzling alcohol and taking massive amounts of pills in the hope that the pain will stop. He begins to play a haunting melody only to slam down the keyboard cover. Thunder cracks and the rain begins to fall. A sudden presence beside him draws his attention.

"Lu, are you all right?" Azrael stands beside him, wings folded away. "I felt your pain."

"No sister. I am definitely not all right. I can't seem to control my Devil face. I've lost my wings for killing a human and Chloe told me to go." He staggers to his feet as the pills finally start to take effect. "She never wants to see me again and she's right. She will be happier. In fact, I wish we had never met." He stumbles to his bed and falls face first onto the mattress; out cold.

Azrael shakes her head as she studies her brother. "Poor Lu. Don't worry, Rae-rae will fix it."

Lucifer comes awake with a start. He finds himself sitting on the cold concrete of a mall, his back to the wall of a sunglass shop. The sky is overcast, but there is no wind, no rain. In panic, he tries to remember how he got there. He stands up and looks around. He walks past shops to get his bearings. As he comes to an intersection, he stares at the buildings around him. "That's not possible."

Azrael appears at his side. "What's not possible?"

He spread his arms. "Lux should be right here, but the building is gone."

"Oh that. Well you see, you said you wished you and Chloe never met, so I fixed it. You never came to Los Angeles five years ago. You never met Chloe."

He stares at his sister as if she is speaking a language he doesn't understand. "What?!"

"I fixed it. The past five years never happened. You and Chloe weren't here to save Lux when the landlord died. His son sold the property to a developer who turned it into a mall."

Lucifer's eyes flared bright red. "Azrael I don't know what your game is, but…"

She spreads her wings and vanishes before Lucifer can catch hold of her.

He looks down in frustration as humanity flows around him on the sidewalk. "Oh for hell's sake. I need to get to the police department." He stalks past several parked cars to a find a gray corvette. He adjusts the seat and the engine roars to life. Moments later he arrives at the LAPD offices. He looks around for a familiar face, but seeing none, he stops at the first desk. "Excuse me, is Ella around?"

The middle-aged man looks up from his paperwork, "Ella… Ella…"

"Ms. Lopez?" Lucifer supplies helpfully.

"Oh. Ella Lopez. Yes, I remember. She was forensics for a year or so. I guess you didn't know?"

"Know what?"

"She died. It was so sad. Her scumbag brother was a diamond cleaner involved in a murder. Ella tried to prove he was innocent and got killed for her trouble."

Lucifer gives the man a look of disbelief before he rushes to Chloe's desk. He puzzles at the unknown name placard he finds there and realizes that none of the items on the desk are hers. The pencil cup, coffee mug and photos all belong to someone else. Disoriented and confused, he stumbles back to the car. "I need a drink. The police bar is around the corner." He pulls out of the parking space, desperate to find something familiar.

He is profoundly relieved to find the bar, but once inside he is shocked to see Malcolm's old partner sitting at the counter. Malcolm killed the man, making it look like suicide. Lucifer quickly takes a seat next to the man and orders a scotch. "How's it going?" he asks in what he hopes is a normal voice.

The man tips his head in acknowledgement but continues to drink without comment.

"You were Malcolm's partner, right?"

"Yes, best damned cop on the force. He was shot and went into a coma. Then one day his wife pulls the plug on him. Damned shame."

"What about my dear friend, Dan Espinoza. You know him?"

The man finally turns to look at Lucifer and his eyes are full of hate. "Know him? That S.O.B. was the one who shot my partner. He was a dirty cop. He's been in prison for years. If you know him, you must be dirty too."

The man's fist slams into Lucifer's face sending him sprawling. "Get out of here!"

Unhurt, Lucifer stands and leaves without another word. His mind is reeling. "I'm going crazy. I need to get to Linda."

He drives to Linda's office; happy to see it still exists. When he tries the door, he finds it locked even though her session light isn't on. He knocks insistently.

Linda opens the door a crack to peer out at him, "Yes?"

"Oh, I'm so happy to see you! The oddest things are happening."

She gives him a worried look, "I'm sorry, I'm not taking patients anymore." She turns her face to the side to hide the yellow and purple bruising under her eye. "My husband wants me to stay home."

Desperate, Lucifer crowds the door, "Linda, please! I'm sick. You've helped me in the past and I need to talk!"

She shoves him back. "I've never seen you before in my life. Please go or I'll call the police." She slams the door in his face and flips her locks.

Lucifer debates forcing his way in, but it won't help. In growing horror, he runs back to the car. "I've got to find Chloe."

He decides the fastest way to find her is to go to Penelope Decker's place. His gut twists as he makes the drive. He runs to the door and knocks loudly. After long minutes the door opens and Penelope smiles at him. "Yes?"

"Penelope, darling. Please tell me you remember me."

A confused frown forms on her face.

"It's Lucifer. Chloe's partner. I can't find her and I need your help."

She clenches her jaw and her eye's blaze. "You sick, son-of-a-bitch! Are you papparozo?"

"No, no. Please, where is Chloe!"

Her face crumbles, "She's dead. She died of poisoned gas while trying to save two college kids from some lunatic over a year ago. Now, leave me in peace."

Lucifer shakes his head in disbelief as Penelope closes the door.

He turns in a circle, not sure what to do next. Everything has changed. If Chloe is really dead, there is no point to anything. He reaches into his pockets, checking one, then the other. Even going so far as to turn them inside out.

His sister once again appears beside him. "It's not there, Lu."

"What?"

"The game-piece."

Lucifer's face goes deadly white. "I'm in a hell loop. Azrael, where is Trixie?"

"You're not going to like it."

His shoulder slump, "Just take me to her."

Azrael steps next to her brother, her arm going around his waist as her wings appear. With a gust of wind, they take flight. Seconds later they arrive at a seedy looking production studio.

Lucifer looks around in surprise. "She's an actress? But she wanted to be president of Mars."

"Her grandmother chose for her after Chloe's death."

"Where is she?"

Azrael points to a trailer.

He walks slowly toward the trailer door, not sure he even wants to knock. He does anyway.

The door is yanked open by a manic-looking Trixie. "Took you long enough. Where's my smoothie?"

He stares down into the girl's glassy eyes. "Trixie?"

She pops the handful of pills she been holding into her mouth and swigs them down with a small bottle of liquid, "That's me. A big fucking-deal actress, making movie magic, living the dream." A tear runs down her face. "Look, if my agent sent you, I don't do things for guys like you. Just leave me alone or I'll scream." She seems to crumble into herself, "Maybe I'll scream anyway. I'm not doing very well."

He backs away in horror. Then he's running. He runs until his lungs burn. Head bowed, he tries to breathe. At the light touch on his back, he jerks upright to see his sister next to him.

"It's funny what a big hole one person's absence can cause. You shaped the last five years in Los Angeles for all your friends. This is what the world looks like without you. You actually had a wonderful life, Lu."

He locks eyes with his sister. "Whatever you've done un-do it. I want everything back the way it was. Ella, Dan, and Linda. I want Chloe and her child." He grabs both of her hands, "Sister, please… please…"

With a jerk, he comes awake. He opens his eyes and pushes himself up off the mattress of his bed, trying to focus. He's in his own bedroom in Lux. Everything is the same. In a rush, he remembers, and shouts to the empty penthouse, "Azrael! How dare you manipulate my dreams!" He runs to the elevator, chanting, "Please let it be a dream."

As the elevator descends, he digs into his pocket to retrieve the small, silver shoe. He finds it immediately and clutches it in profound relief.

He makes the trip to Chloe's apartment in record time, weaving his black sports car in and out of the slower traffic around him, uncaring of the light rain dampening his hair. His car pulls up to the curb and he's already out and through Chloe's front door before the car engine stops. He shouts, "Chloe!"

She's standing there, in her living room, looking at him in confusion. "I wish you would stop coming through locked doors… How do you do that?"

She finds herself wrapped in his arms, kisses being pecked on her forehead, her nose, cheek, and mouth. She smiles and makes a soft hum of pleasure, kissing him back. After a moment, she pulls back and gently puts her hand against his chest. "What's gotten into you?" Then with a shake of her head, "Never mind. I'm glad you came back. I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said yesterday. I was so wrong to let Eve mess with my head. I should have trusted you."

He rushes to get the words out, "No, I was wrong. I haven't given you much reason to trust me as far as physical relationships go, but I can change that. I sent Eve away. And the Lux penthouse is now by invitation only. I don't want anyone but you. Please let me prove it."

She gazes at him with hope and love shining in her eyes.

They lean into each other, her face tipping up and his tipping down, sharing a promising kiss. They are interrupted by a whirlwind of motion.

"Lucifer!" Trixie runs full-tilt into him, joy filling her innocent face, at seeing the shared kiss. This time, he reaches down to pick her up, holding her on one arm while keeping Chloe close with the other.

"Hello, urchin! You have no idea what's happened to me."

Chloe's cellphone pings in her pocket, the small tinkle of bells notifying her of a voice message.

Trixie smiles. "Remember that movie? Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings."

Lucifer feels a familiar tingling sensation along the bones near his shoulder blades. He knows without seeing that his trans-dimensional wings are back and whole. Apparently, moving forward with Chloe is the right thing to do. His face radiates delight as he answers, "How right you are, child."

Outside, Azrael smiles. She raises her hands to the sky, and does a little happy dance, "Way to go, Lu!"

She stops and mumbles to herself, "Darned good thing Ella made me watch that old holiday movie with her the other night."

Then with a suspicious glance at the sky, she grins and adds, "Almost like divine intervention or something…"


End file.
